Trial reportTransactions of the American Ophthalmological Society2008
The role of omega-3 dietary supplementation in blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction (an AOS thesis).
Trial report in Transactions of the American Ophthalmological Society, 2008. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 59 papers, 7 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Epithelial Healing and Visual Outcomes of Patients Using Omega-3 Supplements as an Adjunct Therapy Before and After Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) Surgery
A Randomized, Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Role of Oral Azithromycin in the Treatment of Symptomatic Meibomian Gland Disease and Its Effect on the Ocular Surface Microbiome
Who cites it
59 citing papers in PubMed, 7 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 161 citations in OpenAlex.
- Evaporative dry eye disease due to meibomian gland dysfunction: Preferred practice pattern guidelines for diagnosis and treatment.Indian journal of ophthalmology · 2023Guideline
- Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2020Pooled it
- Omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids for dry eye disease.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2019Pooled it
- Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018Pooled it
- Dyslipidemia and its Association with Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Systematic Review.International ophthalmology · 2018Pooled it
- Omega-3 fatty acids for the primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018Pooled it
- Interventions for chronic blepharitis.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2012Pooled it
- Comparison of clinical outcomes between intense pulsed light therapy using two different filters in meibomian gland dysfunction: prospective randomized study.Scientific reports · 2023Trial
- Effects of the re-esterified triglyceride (rTG) form of omega-3 supplements on dry eye following cataract surgery.The British journal of ophthalmology · 2021Trial
- n-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation for the Treatment of Dry Eye Disease.The New England journal of medicine · 2018Trial
- Trial
- Red blood cell fatty acid analysis for determining compliance with omega3 supplements in dry eye disease trials.Journal of ocular pharmacology and therapeutics : the official journal of the Association for Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics · 2013Trial
- Pharmacological, Natural and Emerging Therapies for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Review.Drugs · 2026Review
- Immunomodulation of the Ocular Surface in Severe Dry Eye Disease: Expert-Driven Literature Review on Treatment Strategies with Description of Representative Challenging Cases.Ophthalmology and therapy · 2026Review
- Mechanisms and Safety of Therapeutic Strategies in Meibomian Gland Dysfunction: A Narrative Review.Ophthalmic research · 2026Review
- Effect of Sunflower Lecithin Supplementation on Meibomian Gland Function in Adults With Dry Eye Disease.Cureus · 2025Article
- Evaluation of meibomian glands in childhood malnutrition.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Photothermal-Responsive Soluble Microneedle Patches for Meibomian Gland Dysfunction Therapy.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025Article
- How Eyelid Changes May Impact on Tears.Journal of clinical medicine · 2024Review
- Exploring the Therapeutic Potential of Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation in Dry Eye Syndrome: AnJournal of pharmacy & bioallied sciences · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
1 author at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
purposeBlepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) are common sources of complaints from patients. To evaluate the effect on ocular symptoms, ocular findings, and serum and meibomian gland contents, patients with blepharitis and MGD were prospectively evaluated to determine the effects of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids.
methodsIn a prospective randomized placebo-controlled masked trial, patients with simple obstructive MGD and blepharitis, who had discontinued all topical medications and tetracyclines, received oral omega-3 dietary supplementation consisting of two 1000-mg capsules 3 times a day. Patients were examined every 3 months for 1 year with the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) objective clinical measures, including tear production and stability, ocular surface and meibomian gland health, and biochemical plasma, red blood cell (RBC), and meibum evaluation. Primary outcome measures were change in tear breakup time (TBUT), meibum score, and overall OSDI score at 1 year.
resultsAt 1 year, the omega-3 group had a 36% and 31% reduction in their omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acid ratios in RBCs and plasma, respectively (P = .3), whereas the placebo group demonstrated no change. At 12 months, the omega-3 group had an improvement in TBUT, OSDI score, and meibum score. Changes in meibum content were observed in the omega-3 group (P = .21); the level of meibum saturated fatty acids decreased.
conclusionsThis trial demonstrated a decrease in the RBC and plasma ratios of omega-6 to omega-3 in patients taking omega-3 dietary supplementation, as compared to controls, and improvements in their overall OSDI score, TBUT, and meibum score. This is the first demonstration of an induced change in the fatty acid saturation content in meibum as a result of dietary supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids.
Indexed as
Identifiers
19277245PMC2646454W201137484What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.